


Penchant for Dangerous People

by Star_Fata



Category: Naruto
Genre: Age Difference, M/M, mention of pre-teen crush
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-13
Updated: 2017-02-13
Packaged: 2018-09-23 22:42:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9684740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star_Fata/pseuds/Star_Fata
Summary: Minato can pinpoint the moment he began to fall- not in puppy love- but in love.





	

Minato remembers the moment he began to fall in love.  


It was a fairly typical day for him as Jiraiya’s apprentice- he’d been set to a task while his sensei went to ‘explore the village’. As if he didn’t know what Jiraiya meant by ‘exploring’- he wasn’t a naïve genin anymore, even if he was still a new jounin. The first upset to his routine, such as it was, was that before he was finished with his task, he had a visitor.  


He’d met Orochimaru before- in passing, as mission partners or in large groups where Jiraiya promptly abandoned his students and friends alike to badger pretty women.  


The Snake Sannin had politely waited about ten feet away for Minato to reach a good stopping point.  


“Namikaze.” He greeted, once this was accomplished. “Your fool of a sensei asked me to remind you of the need for sustenance.”  


That… didn’t sound like Jiraiya. Orochimaru must have read this on his face, as he sighed before continuing.  


“And that two of your age-mates have lunch at Ichiraku every week around this time.”  


Minato blinked as he translated Orochimaru’s words. An age mate of his having lunch at Ichiraku was clearly Uzumaki Kushina- an ungodly amount of her mission payments went on ramen when she was in-village. If she was having lunch with a guy, Jiraiya’s message would have been a taunt- therefore, she was having lunch with her best friend, Uchiha Mikoto. Which Jiraiya expected him to interrupt.  


“He’s crazy!” The words burst out of Minato before his brain could consult on the matter.  


Orochimaru paused from where he’d turned to leave. “Oh?” He said, raising an eyebrow in curiosity at this outburst.  


“If I interrupt Kushina’s ramen time, she’ll shove chopsticks up my nose.” Minato wasn’t flailing. No one with any sense would blame if he was though. “If I interrupt her time with Mikoto, Mikoto will set me on fire and Kushina will punch me into the dirt to put it out. And if I did both…” He shuddered, trailing off.  


“A dire prediction indeed.” Orochimaru said wryly. “I advise not following your Sensei’s… _Wisdom_ here.”  


Minato nodded, still horrified by his vision of feminine fury. “Where do you get lunch?” He asked. He hadn’t even thought about it really- he tended to pick a food stall at random, when he wasn’t meeting friends.  


Orochimaru blinked in surprise. “I usually bring my own to training.” He said, as if unsure of his answer. “Why?”  


Minato looked at the older man as he leaned down to roll up his sealing scroll. “Would you like to have lunch with me?”  


Orochimaru’s eyes widened slightly before he chuckled.  


And that was it. That was the first moment his heart skipped a beat, and his breath caught in his chest- all the clichés. But real.  
He told himself it was nothing- a spark of attraction. Happened all the time to lots of people.  


“Somehow I doubt your sensei would be pleased.” Orochimaru said, a smirk tugging on his lips.  


_Wow he’s attractive. Why didn’t I notice that before?_ Part of Minato’s brain swooned. The rest of it was focused on reality. _Because he’s Sensei’s teammate! Orochimaru of the Sannin!_  


“Very doubtful.” Minato agreed, even as he began walking away from the training field. Orochimaru walked with him- humoring him. It was a better response than he’d have expected, if this had been planned. “But his reaction alone would be worth it I think. Our harmless revenge.”  


“Our?” Orochimaru arched a lone eyebrow. “What reason could I have to seek revenge?”  


Minato grinned at him as they exited the training grounds. “Being used as a messenger hawk isn’t reason enough?”  


“True.” Orochimaru mused. “I believe that you are partial to ramen yourself. If we take the long way around the village, we should arrive at Ichiraku just as Uzumaki is leaving.”  


And that was the moment Minato was truly, truly doomed.  


_This is either going to traumatise Sensei or be used against me the rest of my life._ He grinned back at Orochimaru. “That sounds perfect.”  


And it really did- ramen, with an utterly gorgeous, intelligent, and cunning man? Who was willing to play along a silly, petty scheme to get back at his sensei? And not only play along, but improve on it?  


Minato’s tiny fledging crush on the older Shinobi, formed as a tiny genin who couldn’t keep his eyes away from Orochimaru’s inky black hair, bloomed.

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by conversations held by other people on Blackkat's tumblr. It's standalone, will not be receiving a continuation.


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